Getting out of the Matrix

[Whill]

[garhkal]

[DougRed4]

It's a cool idea and concept.

I've done something similar (in a supers game); in that one I literally mapped out scene by scene based on similar concepts from a Star Trek: TNG episode called "Frame of Mind".
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Ziz]

[KageRyu]

There have been a lot of great books, movies, and TV episodes that have addressed dream like or fantasy worlds within a protagonists mind. They often have some common thoughts on how a protagonist realizes they are being duped, and a lot of times this has to do with how familiar the illusory environment is to the protagonist, other times it is based on popular dream logic tropes. There are a lot of factors that could play into detecting the illusion depending on whether it is the result of mechanical device, or some form of mental attack.

Mechanical Devices Causing Illusion
I feel these should have some governing attributes to represent there processing power and adaptability. Obviously the device should have a Die Code for the potency of it's illusionary world, which once the player realizes he is in becomes the opposed Die Code to beat with a Willpower or Control skill roll. There are many ways that may tip a player off, perhaps with some skill associated:
• The Same Black Bantha - Some event, or even more than one, seems to repeat. More than just Deja Vu. It doesn't have to be a Bantha walking by, could be a particular sapient being whose patterns are all too regular, or a set pattern to buildings or streets, or even just too many similar faces, it could be rooms all having identical layout and furnishings (or every Nth Room). A Search or Notice skill might tip the player off, with the difficulty based on how subtle or obvious the repetition is.
• Missing Details - Details are in places absent. Perhaps odors of plants, or food. It might be the tactile sensation of certain surfaces or feelings. A Force User likely will find he cannot sense the life forms around him (they aren't real...so no sensing them). Small clutter might not have appropriate composition on closer inspection. It might even be details are wrong rather than missing - wrong color, the potted plant is all a single piece (pot and plant).
• No Consistency - Events and environment do not seem to have logical structure or consistency to them. Perhaps the streets or corridors rearrange themselves. Beings that never seem to be the same any two times encountered.
• Lag - Perhaps the simulation has trouble keeping up. Especially when the protagonist does something unexpected. Perhaps there is a noticeable stutter when the system is especially taxed? Perhaps there are just delays, or events seem to take longer than they should. The ships computer is slow to retrieve data, the astronomer has trouble calculating routes, unusual pauses from other beings when asked questions that are not expected or off the planned path for said being.
• Visual Distortion - This could be distortions on distant objects with odd perspective, tiling on surfaces almost as if a texture, blurring or visual distortions in the environment. Essential think of every video game or 3D render glitch and those could all be examples.
• Uncanny Valley - Just, something is off. Be it that things just do not look quite realistic enough, or behave not quite the way expected... it all seems off. How off is a matter of degrees and should affect the difficulty to notice.

If a living mind is making some sort of Psychic attack the options would be much different. I will address those ideas in a future post.

Escaping
Whatever the source of this imaginary world, before the protagonist can escape they must recognize it is not real. Once that has been achieved, escaping will could be as simple as matching the source of the false reality in a battle of willpower, or it could require solving some task or puzzle. It might require risking life to escape.

Some great examples of media that addresses escaping Dream or Fantasy worlds include:

STNG - The Battle, STNG - Remember Me, STNG - Future Imperfect, STNG - Frame of Mind, Batman TAS - Dreams in Darkness, Batman TAS - Perchance to Dream, Batman TAS - What is Reality, Justice League Unlimited - For the Man Who Has Everything, Batman Arkham Asylum Game, Novel - The Mind Trap, Doctor Who - The Deadly Assassin, Many Episodes of Season 4 of Agents of Shield, The Matrix Movies, Dreamscape, Brainstorm, Inception, Johnny Mnemonic, Several issues of the classic era of X-Men, Stargate SG-1 - The Gamekeeper, Vanilla Sky, Naked Lunch, Any Nightmare on Elm Street Movie...

I'm sure there are loads more
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[FVBonura]

The core skill in this illusory scenario is Con. The difficulty is set by the skills of the illusionist to create the simulation. Players roll con whenever the illusionist creates something new in the simulation. If the player rolls Con high enough, they then roll willpower to try and break free of the simulation. Once they break free, they can impart a bonus to the other players. Bonuses to Con roll can also come from high Investigation rolls.

Recommended inspirational reading/viewing:

Dungeons & Dragons spell: Phantasmal Force

"The Orville": Season 1, Episode 10, "Firestorm"

[garhkal]

I am not so certain con would be the skill i'd see here... initially.
BUT thinking on it more, it makes sense since you are dealing with a world made on a lie.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[FVBonura]

Con picks up inaccuracies in the illusion, details that the creator of the simulation might not know about a given object or experience but the Character knows. Willpower then forces the mind to see the truth.

[CRMcNeill]

Just occurred to me that my Discernment Skill house rule would work in those circumstances, as well.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[FVBonura]

WEG never designed a counter to Con. They made the realization it takes a liar to detect a liar so the skill is its own counter. I suppose I would also rule you can perform multiple Search and subsequent Investigation rolls at a higher difficulty for the same effect.

[CRMcNeill]

My thinking was that, while that’s certainly true, other people who aren’t good liars may still be perceptive enough to spot when someone else is. Discernment represents that, without eliminating the ability for Con to also oppose Con.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[FVBonura]

As I have said before, skills and force powers are tools. Finding a balance of utility and the number of tools is difficult. A tool that has only one application clutters the GMs toolbox, and his head during play. A tool that has too many uses can confuse players. This game will be playtested for decades.
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Star Wars Deckplans Alliance
Star Wars Prequel Commentary

[Whill]